New York ? The hugs and kisses said it all for Jose Contreras.

With his family looking on, he became the dominating pitcher the New York Yankees expected all along.

Making his first start since his wife and children defected from Cuba last week, Contreras struck out a career-high 10 in six shutout innings, beating the New York Mets, 8-1, Sunday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader sweep.

“I thought my dad was going to win,” said 11-year-old Naylan Contreras, watching her father pitch in the majors for the first time.

In the second game, Mike Mussina (9-4) improved to 8-0 in his last 11 starts with an 11-6 victory.

Ruben Sierra hit a three-run homer in a six-run first off Matt Ginter (1-2) and added a two-run single after the Mets closed to 7-5 in the top half. Miguel Cairo hit a solo homer and had a two-run single for the Yankees, who beat the Mets twice in the same day for the third time since interleague play began in 1997.

Rebounding from a 9-3 loss in Saturday’s Subway Series opener, the Yankees have won nine of their last 10 against their crosstown rival.

At a news conference between games, Contreras was accompanied by wife, Miriam, and their two daughters. While Naylan sat on her mother’s lap, the pitcher held 3-year-old Naylenis, repeatedly kissing her head and squeezing her after she fell asleep.

He dedicated his win to his family and to “the people of Cuba who support me.”

Yankees pitcher Jose Contreras, second from right, sits with his daughter Naylenis, 3, on his lap as his wife, Miriam Murillo, left, and his other daughter, 11-year-old Naylan, look on. Jose Contreras pitched the Yankees to an 8-1 victory over the Mets in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Sunday at Yankee Stadium in New York.

“During the game, I didn’t think about my family,” he said through a translator. “I concentrated on getting one out after another. I knew after the game my family would be here.”

And that presence, he said, “gave me more motivation.”

Contreras stifled the Mets on two hits until cramps in his forearm and thumb forced him out three pitches into the seventh. He frustrated the Mets so much that Ty Wigginton broke his own bat in half after he struck out in the third inning, then flung the two pieces.

Derek Jeter backed Contreras with a pair of solo homers against Steve Trachsel (7-6), and Gary Sheffield homered for the second straight day.

Signed to a $32 million, four-year contract after defecting from Cuba in October 2002, Contreras (5-3) has showed flashes of brilliance, but has been maddeningly inconsistent.

Contreras’ family left Cuba on a 31-foot boat June 20 and was captured by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Big Pine Key, Fla., the following morning. Contreras was reunited with his wife and children Tuesday night in Miami Beach, and they looked on from a mezzanine luxury suite on a sunny summer afternoon. His youngest daughter ate cotton candy.

“It tasted great,” she said, also through a translator.

Red Sox 12, Phillies 3

Boston — Curt Schilling beat his former team for his 10th win of the season, and David Ortiz homered and drove in three runs to lead the Red Sox, who took two of three from the Phillies. Schilling (10-4), who pitched for the Phillies from 1992 to 2000, gave up three runs on eight hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Texas’ Kenny Rogers is the AL’s only other 10-game winner.

Marlins 11, Devil Rays 4

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Carl Pavano pitched seven strong innings to earn his career-high sixth straight victory, leading Florida over Tampa Bay and stopping the Devil Rays’ 13-game interleague winning streak. Pavano (9-2) allowed one run on five hits and matched a season high with eight strikeouts. He hasn’t lost since May 19 at Houston. The Devil Rays, whose interleague winning streak tied a major-league record, lost for just the second time in 17 games, falling back to .500 (36-36) a day after becoming the first team in major-league history to climb above the break-even point after being 18 games below.

Expos 9, Blue Jays 4

Toronto — Tony Batista homered and drove in five runs, and Brad Wilkerson also hit a home run to lead Montreal, which salvaged the last game of the three-game series. Montreal might have played its last game in Toronto, although major-league baseball is pushing back its decision on where to relocate the Expos until after the All-Star break.

Indians 5, Rockies 3

Cleveland — Matt Lawton doubled home two runs in the seventh inning off Jason Jennings (6-7), scoring Casey Blake and Ronnie Belliard to break a 2-all tie. Matt Miller (2-0) struck out two in one scoreless inning for the win.

Tigers 9, D’backs 5

Detroit — Carlos Pena’s grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Tigers the win and sent the Diamondbacks to their franchise-record ninth straight loss. It was the fourth win in a row for the Tigers, who finished off a three-game sweep and won on a game-ending homer for the second consecutive game.

Braves 8, Orioles 7

Baltimore — J.D. Drew homered in a seven-run eighth inning, and Atlanta rallied from a seven-run deficit. It was the biggest comeback of the year for the Braves, who trailed 7-0 after six innings. Atlanta took two of three from the Orioles to end a run of five straight series losses.

Astros 1, Rangers 0

Arlington, Texas — Roy Oswalt struck out nine while throwing eight shutout innings, benefiting from a home-run-robbing catch by newly acquired Carlos Beltran, and the Astros ended the Rangers’ eight-game winning streak. Beltran, acquired from Kansas City in a three-way trade Thursday, scored the lone run for Houston. He also saved a run with his incredible catch in the first, robbing Michael Young by leaping with his glove extended over the top of the wall.

Brewers 7, Twins 3

Minneapolis — Doug Davis won his fourth straight start, and Lyle Overbay homered for Milwaukee. Davis (8-5) became the first Brewers left-hander — and fifth Milwaukee pitcher overall — to post five wins in June. He allowed three runs and eight hits in 61/3 innings, while striking out six and walking three. Cristian Guzman tied a career high by going 4-for-5.

Padres 5, Mariners 1

Seattle — Jeff Cirillo hit a three-run homer against his former team, and Adam Eaton pitched into the seventh, leading San Diego over Seattle. Eaton (4-7) worked 61/3 solid innings, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks as the Padres won two in the three-game series.

White Sox 9, Cubs 4

Chicago — Miguel Olivo and Timo Perez homered, and the Chicago White Sox roughed up Greg Maddux and overcame two homers by Sammy Sosa. Paul Konerko, who hit three-run homers in each of the first two games, had three more RBIs Sunday for the White Sox, who won two of three in the first crosstown series of the season.

Giants 5, Athletics 2

Oakland, Calif. — Barry Bonds hit his first home run in 13 games, and Marquis Grissom also homered in San Francisco’s 12th win in 14 games. Bonds hit an 0-1 pitch from Mark Redman (6-4) into the seats in right-center for his 19th homer — and No. 677 of his career. He hadn’t homered since June 13 at Baltimore, a span of 32 at-bats.

Dodgers 10, Angels 5

Los Angeles — Adrian Beltre hit two homers and drove in a season-high five runs, and the Dodgers snapped a six-game losing streak. The win was the Dodgers’ first since they won two of three against the New York Yankees last weekend.